Constitution Hill to face four rivals in Fighting Fifth thriller
HILL TO CLIMB: Constitution Hill will bid to get his career back on track at Newcastle on Saturday. Picture: Healy Racing
Constitution Hill will face a maximum of four rivals at Newcastle on Saturday in what is set to be a blockbuster renewal of the BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
All eyes will be on Nicky Henderson's superstar after the disastrous end to last season, where he was a faller in both the Champion Hurdle and at Aintree before also disappointing at Punchestown on his final start of the campaign.
The 2023 Champion Hurdle hero advertised his well-being in his traditional early-season Newbury gallop — but will face an acid test of his well-being at the weekend, with Dan Skelton confirming the current ante-post favourite for the Cheltenham Festival's hurdling blue riband, The New Lion.
The JP McManus-owned five-year-old won a stellar renewal of the Turners Novices' Hurdle at Prestbury Park in the spring, a race that has often served as a breeding ground for Champion Hurdlers, including the mighty Istabraq.
Also adding no little spice to the mix is Willie Mullins' Anzadam who will sport the colours of Joe and Marie Donnelly so often seen aboard State Man to great effect in this division.
Meanwhile reigning Champion Hurdler, Jeremy Scott's Golden Ace, will seek to bounce back from a lacklustre first outing of the season at Wetherby, while Kerry Lee has supplemented Nemean Lion, who will be having his first start since being pulled up in the Stayers' Hurdle in March.
Assessing the state of play on Monday, Henderson said: "I don't think there's any pressure and here we are, it was always the plan and it will be a big test. We're in a better place than last year, that's for sure — when I couldn't even get him to Newcastle.
"He did his last piece of work this morning and it all went well and Nico (de Boinville) was smiling which is always a good sign.
"That's all the main bits done and now he will have a doodle up there (to Newcastle) on Friday and we'll try to send something up with him to keep him company."
He added: "There was only the four of them before Nemean Lion was supplemented and I toyed with the idea and rang Nico at 11.55am to ask if he wanted a pacemaker and was told no.
"I said to him Aidan O'Brien would have run five, but then three I was thinking about weren't even qualified because you have to be rated over 130.
"I will be at Newbury as we have Hyland in the Coral Gold Cup and a few others, but Michael (Buckley, owner) will be going up there."
